Speed Cameras in LA
How the 2026 Pilot Program Impacts Traffic Safety and Accident Liability
In 2025, 290 people died on Los Angeles roads. More than half were pedestrians. One in every five fatal crashes involved speeding, and according to the LA Department of Transportation, excessive speed was the primary collision factor in 34.8% of all crashes resulting in injury or death. The city spent decades trying to fix the problem with lane markings, signage, and police crackdowns. None of it worked well enough.
By The Editors
Mon, Apr 6, 2026 08:22 AM PST
Featured image by Haewon Oh.
In March 2026, the LA City Council unanimously approved 125 speed cameras across the city. The program launches under AB 645, and it's the first time California has ever used automated speed enforcement. For drivers, pedestrians, and anyone who's already been hurt in a crash and reached out to LA car crash attorneys, this program changes the equation.
What AB 645 Actually Does
AB 645 authorized a speed camera pilot in six California cities: Los Angeles, Glendale, Long Beach, San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. The pilot runs for five years and expires on January 1, 2032.
The key detail: fines under AB 645 are civil, not criminal. No points on your license. No suspension risk. But the dollar amounts still sting.
125 Cameras: Timeline, Locations, and Fines
The City Council locked in the final list of 125 locations on March 24, 2026. Cameras are going up near schools, senior centers, unmarked crosswalks, and along corridors with the worst crash records.
Rollout schedule:
- April through July 2026: installation and testing
- Late summer/early fall 2026: a 60-day warning period where drivers get notices but no fines
- Late 2026: real tickets start arriving in the mail
Fines depend on how far over the limit you're going:
- 11 to 15 mph over: a warning for the first offense, $50 for the second
- 16 to 25 mph over: $100
- 26+ mph over: $200
- 100+ mph: $500
Drivers earning below 250% of the federal poverty level qualify for a 50% to 80% reduction. The program costs roughly $6.6 million a year to run. By law, every dollar collected in fines has to go back into traffic safety improvements and Vision Zero projects.
San Francisco Already Proved It Works
LA isn't the first city to try this. San Francisco installed 33 cameras under the same AB 645 program in March 2025 and started issuing real fines five months later, in August. The city published its initial evaluation, and the data speaks for itself.
The early numbers are hard to argue with:
- Speeding dropped 72% across 15 key camera locations
- Some spots saw reductions as high as 82%
- Cameras sent out over 400,000 warnings in the first six months
Broader studies on automated speed enforcement show a 53% to 71% drop in fatal crashes. Even half that effect in Los Angeles would mean hundreds of lives saved.
How Speed Cameras Change Accident Liability
This is where the program hits closest to home for anyone who's been in a crash. The cameras record a vehicle's speed down to the mile per hour. That's objective evidence, and it's tough to dispute.
If a driver was speeding before a collision, the camera data directly proves negligence. For the person who got hurt, that means a stronger position when negotiating with the insurance company and a stronger case in court. California follows pure comparative negligence rules: even if you're partly at fault, you can still recover damages reduced by your share of responsibility. Hard data showing the other driver's speed shifts that balance, and it often pushes settlement numbers higher.
One catch: the footage doesn't last forever. Most agencies delete camera data within 7 to 30 days. That window is short. Knowing the initial steps after the car accident matters here more than ever, because evidence needs to be preserved fast, before it gets wiped from the system.
What LA Drivers Should Know Right Now
The cameras aren't issuing fines yet, but installation starts in April 2026. Here's what to keep in mind:
- Cameras only trigger at 11+ mph over the limit. Going 5 to 10 mph over won't get you a ticket
- Fines are civil penalties with no points on your license
- Camera data can become evidence in a crash case, both for you and against you
- the 60-day warning window gives you time to adjust, but don't count on leniency lasting
Speed cameras won't solve everything. But 290 deaths a year is a number that demands a response, not another study. If San Francisco's early results mean anything, Los Angeles is heading in the right direction. The cameras go up this spring. Pay attention to the posted limits.
